Attentional Bias Associated with Habitual Self-Stigma in People with Mental Illness.

As habitual self-stigma can have a tremendous negative impact on people with mental illness, it is of paramount importance to identify its risk factors. The present study aims to examine the potential contributory role of attentional bias in habitual self-stigma. People with mental illness having st...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kevin K S Chan, Winnie W S Mak
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2015-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4503620?pdf=render
_version_ 1819053247382421504
author Kevin K S Chan
Winnie W S Mak
author_facet Kevin K S Chan
Winnie W S Mak
author_sort Kevin K S Chan
collection DOAJ
description As habitual self-stigma can have a tremendous negative impact on people with mental illness, it is of paramount importance to identify its risk factors. The present study aims to examine the potential contributory role of attentional bias in habitual self-stigma. People with mental illness having strong (n = 47) and weak (n = 47) habitual self-stigma completed a computerized emotional Stroop task which included stigma-related, positive, and non-affective words as stimuli. The strong habit group was found to exhibit faster color-naming of stigma-related words (compared to non-affective words), whereas the weak habit group showed no difference in the speed of response to different stimuli. These findings suggest that people with stronger habitual self-stigma may be more able to ignore the semantic meaning of stigma-related words and focus on the color-naming task. Moreover, people with stronger habitual self-stigma may have greater attentional avoidance of stigma-related material. The present study is the first to demonstrate a specific relationship between habitual self-stigma and biased processing of stigma-related information. In order to further determine the role and the nature of attentional bias in habitual self-stigma, future research should employ a broader range of experimental paradigms and measurement techniques to examine stigma-related attentional bias in people with mental illness.
first_indexed 2024-12-21T12:32:42Z
format Article
id doaj.art-9f0d89d71d5c4eb88d132dd2bc11b377
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1932-6203
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-21T12:32:42Z
publishDate 2015-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj.art-9f0d89d71d5c4eb88d132dd2bc11b3772022-12-21T19:04:00ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032015-01-01107e012554510.1371/journal.pone.0125545Attentional Bias Associated with Habitual Self-Stigma in People with Mental Illness.Kevin K S ChanWinnie W S MakAs habitual self-stigma can have a tremendous negative impact on people with mental illness, it is of paramount importance to identify its risk factors. The present study aims to examine the potential contributory role of attentional bias in habitual self-stigma. People with mental illness having strong (n = 47) and weak (n = 47) habitual self-stigma completed a computerized emotional Stroop task which included stigma-related, positive, and non-affective words as stimuli. The strong habit group was found to exhibit faster color-naming of stigma-related words (compared to non-affective words), whereas the weak habit group showed no difference in the speed of response to different stimuli. These findings suggest that people with stronger habitual self-stigma may be more able to ignore the semantic meaning of stigma-related words and focus on the color-naming task. Moreover, people with stronger habitual self-stigma may have greater attentional avoidance of stigma-related material. The present study is the first to demonstrate a specific relationship between habitual self-stigma and biased processing of stigma-related information. In order to further determine the role and the nature of attentional bias in habitual self-stigma, future research should employ a broader range of experimental paradigms and measurement techniques to examine stigma-related attentional bias in people with mental illness.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4503620?pdf=render
spellingShingle Kevin K S Chan
Winnie W S Mak
Attentional Bias Associated with Habitual Self-Stigma in People with Mental Illness.
PLoS ONE
title Attentional Bias Associated with Habitual Self-Stigma in People with Mental Illness.
title_full Attentional Bias Associated with Habitual Self-Stigma in People with Mental Illness.
title_fullStr Attentional Bias Associated with Habitual Self-Stigma in People with Mental Illness.
title_full_unstemmed Attentional Bias Associated with Habitual Self-Stigma in People with Mental Illness.
title_short Attentional Bias Associated with Habitual Self-Stigma in People with Mental Illness.
title_sort attentional bias associated with habitual self stigma in people with mental illness
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4503620?pdf=render
work_keys_str_mv AT kevinkschan attentionalbiasassociatedwithhabitualselfstigmainpeoplewithmentalillness
AT winniewsmak attentionalbiasassociatedwithhabitualselfstigmainpeoplewithmentalillness